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–Not graded
History · Peter

Peter dates to 1867, and 10% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1964 on and the census since 1880.

1867founded
0on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How Peter began

When was Peter founded?

1867

Peter dates its founding to 1867 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 76 in 18802020 census: 623159 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1892.The full story ↓

What stands out about Peter’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Peter are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost half of its people between 1890 and 1950, then grew 4-fold.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Peter’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Peter’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Peter, census by census

010020030040050060018801900192019401960198020002020337 in 1890Low: 150

Lost half of its people between 1890 and 1950, then grew 4-fold.

11 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Peter’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Peter came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Peter.

Read it all →

Sylvanus Collett became the first settler in Petersboro in 1867. In 1876 Petersboro was designated District Six within the Mendon LDS Ward. Petersboro became a separate ward in 1887.

The area is named for Peter Maughan, an early Mormon settler and church leader. Located outside of Mendon, historically the area has been closely tied with the cultural and religious communities located in the nearby town. Each year residents of Petersboro participate with Mendonites in their May Day celebration.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Peter, 1867 to 2020

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1867
    FoundingPeter is established
  3. 1892Post officeThe Petersboro post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1900Post officeThe Petersboro post office closes
  6. 1964On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 21st century
  8. 2020CensusPopulation peaks at 623
By decade

Peter, decade by decade

Today2 recent
Peter, Cache County2026Peter, Cache CountyCachecounty ut2006Cachecounty ut
On the map

Peter on the map in 1964

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Peter.

Peter on the 1964 USGS map1964Cutler Dam sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Peter.

Famous people

Famous people close to Peter

Nobody well known was born in Peter itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Kip S. ThorneAmerican physicist · b. 1940
John GilbertAmerican actor and film director · b. 1897
Merlin OlsenAmerican football player and actor · b. 1940
Jay SilvesterAmerican athletics competitor · b. 1937
Marriner Stoddard EcclesAmerican economist and banker · b. 1890
Chris StewartAuthor, politician · b. 1960
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Another post office, Petersboro, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Ballard JunctionPetersboro
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Peter
Poulsen FamilyPoulsen Family

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

BensonIts storyC−CacheIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMendon9 historic placesB

Questions about Peter’s history

What year was Peter founded?

In 1867, according to Wikidata. Peter’s post office opened in 1892, and the census of 1880 counted 76 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.